


Speak with your Smiles

by Fanartfunart



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Gen, M/M, Meet-Cute, Selectively Mute Roman Sanders, i guess?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-12 19:47:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28765806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fanartfunart/pseuds/Fanartfunart
Summary: Roman struggles with words sometimes, sign language is a good friend. He meets Logan, who seems to want to be one.
Relationships: Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders
Comments: 9
Kudos: 38





	Speak with your Smiles

It almost feels like your throat is closing up. As if you’re choking. As if you swallowed down a pill that just went down wrong and it feels like it’s still there. A ghost of something solid blocking the path. A stone crushing your voice box. 

The words want to come out. No- Need to come out. It’s a struggle to prove “Yes, yes I can speak. I know I can. Physically, I can.” The best you can do sometimes is a whisper. Maybe a flutter of a laugh out of the awkwardness that is the silence you struggled to claw out of. Sometimes all you can manage is a breath. A exhale that’s just got the faintest noise. It’s a relief. A sign that you can make a sound.

Right now, Roman’s voice is trapped. Stolen away by a sea witch and he can’t bring himself to make a single sound.

“Hello, sorry, but, you dropped your book.” The words come out calmly, confidently, oh so easily it seems. His tone level but pleasant.

Roman stared at the man holding out the sketchbook, with its wearing, rough black exterior, the corners revealing the brown material the cover was made of. He realizes then that it really doesn’t show all that it is by just the outside, the many worlds it contains.

He wants to say thank you. He wants to smile and acknowledge all that little gesture meant. But no, he’s staring at this man all because he didn’t spend an hour preparing himself to utter a word or two. He lets out a breath and nods, accepting the sketchbook and placing it securely in his bag. His hands feel too fast as he signs ‘thank you’. Most people know that one usually. 

The man gets his attention, however, and says his next words with a slow, unsure sign. “Wait, sorry, are you deaf?”

Roman blinks and shakes his head, letting his hands speak for him, “No.” He gives the man a glance. He didn’t have to say anything else. His hands were jittery and, he hasn’t met anyone else who signed for the past year at least. His hands move before he’s entirely aware, quick and sloppy feeling, “I struggle speaking.”

“Oh,” the man puts on a polite smile. “My name is Logan,” he continues to sign his words nonetheless, although he has to look at his hands as he spells out his name, and Roman can see the instinctual movement to jump into the next letter of the alphabet after certain letters. 

Roman cracks a smile and there’s a bubble in his throat and a huff of breath that might be a laugh if he could’ve managed it. 

“Nice to meet you Logan, my name is Roman.” He tries his best to be slow and deliberate even if his hands itch to move.

Logan watches his movements carefully, “R- Roman? Correct?”

Roman nods. With a polite smile, a wave, and an awkward gesture with his book, he turns to leave. Logan doesn’t say anything and his hands don’t move, so he doesn’t expect anything more to come from the encounter. Roman’s almost halfway out the door when he hears footsteps and Logan call “Wait!”

Roman turns and tilts his head. Logan smiles, in some odd quiet way, like he’s nervous. It’s a soft kind of smile that makes Roman want to smile back. 

“If… If you want to- would you mind...lunch, with me? Maybe? I’ve been learning sign… mostly on my own for a while and it’d be nice to...have someone to talk to.” Logan says this aloud, apparently not confident in explaining himself in a new language. However, he signs ‘food-me’ and ‘talk-me-you’ as an aid.

Roman smiles and takes in a breath, far too happy when he managed to exhale just slightly audibly. He nods, and signs yes, and takes out his phone. He gives Logan a curious expression and Logan looks almost blank for a moment before he nods, and they exchange numbers. ...Once thing Logan will need to learn, Roman thinks, is talking and expressing himself with his face…. But that’s okay. Roman’s a master at that.


End file.
